Climate Culture

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  • Umbra on bicycle commuting

    Dear Umbra, My question regards my daily half-hour (each way) bicycle commute through fairly heavy city traffic. I’ve been wondering if the benefits (exercise, sunshine, free and fast transport) are outweighed by the negatives (primarily breathing in diesel and other exhaust, but I’d also throw in the risk of almost getting run over, despite the […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • Brower Youth Award winners share their stories and their hopes

    It was a decidedly sober Whitney Houston who told us that the children are our future. And in the case of this year’s Brower Youth Award winners, she couldn’t be closer to the truth. They are seven activists, aged 15 to 21, who represent varied backgrounds, communities, and missions. One young woman has battled environmental […]

    Sarah van Schagen Culture

  • Martin Melaver, eco-friendly real-estate entrepreneur, answers questions

    Martin Melaver. What work do you do? I’m CEO of Melaver, Inc., which is a third-generation, family-owned real-estate company based in Savannah, Ga. What does your organization do? We really do a bit of everything in real estate, which I guess is typical for a business with roots in a smallish town. We develop, acquire, […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • Pimp My Prius

    Customizations and hacks jazz up a hybrid Sure, your Prius saves gas and helps you reduce your personal carbon dioxide emissions … but does it have mad bling? We didn’t think so. Luckily, The New York Times commissioned George Barris, car customizer extraordinaire, to modify a Prius without altering the car’s mechanics or electronics for […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • Umbra on kitty litter

    Dear Umbra, I recently adopted a cat, and I am having a hard time deciding what to do with the kitty litter. Is there some kind of green litter that is best to use? Anything flushable and sewage-tank friendly? Or, can I compost the litter — and what should I use to cover it up […]

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • From Harry to Housing

    Um, forgiven In coastal Cali, Clint Eastwood has a rep as a Dirty-Harry developer. But that may change with his latest project, Tehama, which boasts solar and wind power, open space, an organic farm, and native plants. Of course, there’s also a golf course … you got a problem with that? Bar none A London-based […]

    Katharine Wroth & Sarah van Schagen Culture

  • Ask Umbra on autumn leaves

    With summer slinking away and fall breezing in, Grist advice maven Umbra Fisk offers eco-advice for dealing with autumn leaves.

    Ask Umbra® Culture

  • We Got No Beef With That

    Demand growing for naturally raised meats Americans are increasingly willing to fork over a little extra for free range, organic, and natural meats. And although these still comprise a tiny percentage of the total U.S. market, the food industry is starting to notice. In just one sign of a shift, about 450 growers operating under […]

    Grist staff Culture

  • From Teri to the Thames

    Katrina’s ka-ching No national environmental crisis would be complete without celebs cashing in. We bring you Teri Hatcher, who’s unveiled a line of ugly (oops! did we type that out loud?) T-shirts to support hurricane relief. Meanwhile, Michael Moore may be considering a Katrina disast-umentary. That’ll show the penguins who’s boss. My cup runneth over […]

    Katharine Wroth & Sarah van Schagen Culture

  • The Weather Channel’s climate ace chats about Katrina and sexing up global warming

    As Hurricane Katrina raged toward the Gulf Coast in late August, more than 4.5 million American homes tuned in to The Weather Channel — many times the network’s average audience. The channel’s bright-eyed climate-change expert, Heidi Cullen, was standing by to address the question that was confounding Americans nationwide: Was Katrina’s horrible wrath intensified by […]

    Grist staff Culture